


It's Okay To Be Afraid

by Luv2write



Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-05 03:38:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20482232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luv2write/pseuds/Luv2write
Summary: After a hard mission, Mac tells Jack the story about his fear of heights.





	It's Okay To Be Afraid

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Y'all!  
So I'm back with another story!  
It's just something I made up about Mac's fear of heights.  
So I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! :)

Mac and Jack had just finished an exhausting mission for the DXS that had not gone to well. They had been forced to climb down a steep cliff side to escape the terrorists chasing them and make it to ex-fil. The worst part was when Mac almost fell, causing him to have a panic attack about halfway down the cliff. He'd been freaking out, so sure he was going to die, and had only made it down because of Jack's quick thinking and soothing voice.  
Needless to say, he was pretty embarrassed. After arriving back on solid ground Jack had asked him if he was alright, which Mac mumbled that he was, and they had lapsed into silence for the rest of the trip to ex-fil.  
The ex-fil team then drove them to an airport, where they boarded a small DXS plane to take them home again.   
Mac slumped into one of the seats, and heard Jack sit on the one across from him. He could feel the mans gaze on him, studying him. But he was to ashamed to look at him, instead, he pulled out a paperclip and started fiddling with it.  
Both men were silent until after the plane lifted off. But when he heard Jack shifting around in the seat, he knew his partner wasn't just going to let what happened on the cliff go. So he braced himself for whatever Jack had to say.

Jack stared at the kid seated across from him. Mac had been avoiding looking at him and hardly speaking since the incident at the cliff, and it worried him. He couldn't blame the kid for freaking out after he almost fell, but it seemed like Mac was scared or worried about Jack's reaction to the situation, and there was no reason for him to be. Watching the kid mess with the paperclip with slightly trembling fingers, he decided something had to be said.  
"So." He leaned forward, trying to get Mac to look at him. "What was that back there on the cliff?"  
The kid cringed, fingers going still.  
"I'm sorry, Jack." Mac whispered.  
Jack stared at him in shock for a moment. "Sorry? What are you sorry for?"  
He saw the kid swallow hard. "For freaking out like that. I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble and almost got us caught."  
Jack couldn't believe what the kid was saying. "You have no reason to be sorry, Mac. That could have happened to anyone."  
Mac bit his lip and shook his head, finally bringing his eyes up to meet Jacks.  
"No it wouldn't." Mac said softly. "I'm afraid of heights. Have been since I was 9, I just didn't want to tell you." The kid gave a little shrug. "I know it's stupid, but I never grew out of it."  
Jack held Mac's gaze as he slowly shook his head. "Mac, it's okay to be afraid. No one is perfect, and everyone is afraid of something. You're not stupid."  
There was silence as Mac just stared at Jack in shock, and that hurt. What had Mac been told that made him feel scared and ashamed like that?  
"What happened when you were 9, Mac?" He asked gently, his dark eyes staring intently into the blue ones of his partner.

Jack's response and question startled him, and for a minute he could only stare at the man.  
He swallowed hard, trying to wet his throat.  
"You really want to here what happened?" He finally asked.  
Jack nodded, a small encouraging smile on his face. "Yes, Mac, I'd like to help you if I can."  
Mac was doubtful that talking about it would help, but he finally nodded.  
"Well, it started when my dad forgot to pick me up from school. That happened sometimes, he'd get so busy that he'd forget, so I'd usually just walk home since it wasn't to far. But that day the school bully, Donnie, had gotten in trouble. And I guess to save themselves, somebody told him that I had turned him in to the principal. When he got out of detention I was still there, and I'm sure you can guess what he wanted."  
He paused to get a sip of water and to study Jack's face. The man looked angry, but not at him, for which he was happy.  
"So after he started chasing me I tried to take the shortcut through the woods behind our school. When I realized I couldn't outrun him, I decided to climb a tree. I was to scared to be paying very much attention, and about halfway up the tree I lost my footing and fell all the way back to the ground."  
He paused for a moment before continuing.  
"I didn't get home until after dark that day, and my dad was furious. Epically after he saw what I did to my arm. He had to take me to the emergency room for them to put my shoulder back in place and cast my broken wrist."  
He let out a sigh, his gaze going back to the floor.  
"I dreamed about that fall every night for months, and each time it just seemed to be worse. My dad tried to get me to get over my sudden fear of heights, but it only seemed to make things worse. Whenever I panicked, he would just get mad and start shouting. He gave up trying to fix me not long before he left."  
He rubbed his forehead and then ran both hands through his hair.  
"So, yeah, I know it's childish, but that's why I'm afraid."  
Mac shifted slightly in his seat, uncomfortable at Jack's silence. He had told the man his secret, but what would his response be?

Jack felt anger running through him as he stared at Mac. He wasn't angry at Mac though, he was angry at how the kids dad had treated him. That incident should never have even been allowed to happen.  
Jack got up and crossed the space to sit next to the kid, who was again avoiding looking at him.  
He placed his hand on the kids shoulder, causing him to jerk slightly in surprise at the contact.  
"Mac, you have no reason to be ashamed." He stated firmly. "It's okay to be afraid, I'm not going to judge you for something like that."  
The kid turned to face him, hope in his eyes. "Most people think it's wrong. They wonder how I could be so brave when diffusing IED's, but then be afraid of something so simple as heights."  
"Well, I'm not most people, Mac." He told the kid with a little smile. "And you're not broken, your dad had no reason to try and fix you."  
"Thanks, Jack." His partner said softly. "That means a lot to me to hear you say that." The blond finally smiled. "There's no one else I'd ever want to be partnered with."  
"Same here, kid." Jack said fondly. "We're together to the end. You go kaboom, I go kaboom, remember?"  
Mac let out a little laugh. "I remember, Jack."  
"Good." Jack said with a little nod before leaning back against the seat and closing his eyes. "Now get some rest, we'll be back at DXS before you know it."  
"Sure, Jack." Mac replied quietly.  
Jack was just starting to drift off when he felt Mac's head fall onto his shoulder, causing him to smile. He slowly and carefully brought one arm up and around the kids shoulder and pulled him a little closer. He let out a pleased sigh before finally drifting off to sleep with his best friend by his side.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Macgyver show, I'm just a fan.


End file.
